Joanne Antibus, 67, passed away April 22, 2022 at her residence. Joanne was born October 11, 1954 in Maple Heights, Ohio, to the late Edward and Ethel (Redlein) Vinopal. On August 12, 1978 she married Robert Antibus and he survives.
Joanne led a life filled by her love of family, travel and time with nature. She was always the learner and teacher.
Joanne’s travels began in earnest when she spent her senior year as an AFS Foreign Exchange Student in New Zealand. While attending Kaipara College in Helensville, NZ Joanne lived on the McCloud family farm. The family was the ideal fit as they were avid skiers and she had been a ski patroller at Boston Mills in Ohio. On graduating from Maple Heights High School in 1972 she attended Kent State University graduating with a degree in biology and developing a love for ferns and fungi. In 1975 she enrolled the master’s program at Virginia Tech. She spent two summers studying fungi associated with prescribed burning at the Tall Timbers Research Station near Tallahassee, FL and described a new species of mushroom from this work. From 1977 to 1980 she taught biology at New Castle High School in Craig County Virginia.
She married Robert Antibus in August of 1978 and the family moved to Missoula, Montana in 1980. During this time the family enjoyed ample time to camp and visit national parks. In 1986 the family moved to Potsdam, NY where Joanne continued as a loving homemaker dedicating many hours to her children at 4H activities, ice skating arenas and soccer games. The North Country revived her interest in geology which she then studied at SUNY Potsdam prior to moving to Bluffton in 1994.
After being hired by Bluffton High School Joanne would teach 9th grade science and environmental biology for the next 15 years. She coached the school’s Science Olympiad and Envirothon teams. The Envirothon activity proved popular and successful reaching the state finals 7 times in 10 years. In 1998 she was recognized at Secondary Conservation Teacher of the Year by Allen County Soil and Water District. Joanne also volunteered at Bluffton University working in the greenhouse, developing a campus tree map and teaching classes for the Institute for Learning in Retirement.
She served on the Bluffton Tree Commission for many years and as chairperson wrote Tree City annual reports. In addition, she volunteered for 25 years at the Johnny Appleseed Parks and served on the Board of the Ohio Mushroom Society. Upon her retirement she pursued a second master’s degree this time in geology at Bowling Green State University. In 2012 she completed writing her thesis while undergoing chemotherapy fort CNS lymphoma at the Cleveland Clinic. As her health permitted Joanne continued to partake in her most beloved activities including travel, gardening, mushrooming, skiing, hiking and stargazing.
Survivors include her husband, Robert Antibus of Bluffton; two children, Douglas Antibus of Franklinton, North Carolina, Wendolyn (Justin Parrish) Antibus of Reno, Nevada; a brother, Kenneth Vinopal of Twinsburg, Ohio; a sister, Suzanne Winters of Solon, Ohio; two nieces, Robin Pastor of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Bobbie Pastor of Solon, Ohio; three nephews, Caroline Abbey of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Kyle Abbey of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Ryan Pastor of Ft. Worth, Texas; and two brothers-in-laws, Charles (Donna) Antibus of Green, Ohio and Richard Antibus of Orville, Ohio.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, donations made be made to the Johnny Appleseed Park District or Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The family wishes to thank the many caretakers and those at Bridge Hospice who gave wonderful care and comfort to Joanne.
Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.
